Pakistan is a strange land where people seem to be ‘appearing’, ‘disappearing’ and ‘reappearing’ all the time. While this strange occurrence follows no discernable pattern, but it does appear to have a definite link to sensitive issues, mostly those related to terrorism. For example, despite New Delhi providing Islamabad with his exact whereabouts in Karachi, Islamabad kept denying that 1993 […]

Now that the seven other members are continuing to meet as the Arctic Council but without the presence of a Russian representative who according to its bylaws is chairman in office until next year, Moscow may choose to create an alternative organization for the Arctic consisting of itself, China and some other countries. Dmitry Zhuravlyev, the head of the Moscow […]

Good news from Guantánamo, where the prison’s population has dropped to 36 with the release of the Afghan prisoner Asadullah Haroon Gul. In a deal negotiated with the ruling Taliban government in Afghanistan, Gul was flown to Qatar, where he was welcomed by Taliban representatives who then arranged from him to be flown home to Afghanistan, to be reunited with […]

In a highly controversial decision, Indian authorities launched Agnipath Recruitment Scheme to induct youngsters into the tri-services for a short term. The scheme has already stimulated mass protests across India by the army aspirants, the protest is also joined by the farmers in Punjab who had already given a tough time to the Indian government through a year-long procession against […]

With their fourth leaders’ meeting in May 2022, the Quad has come a long way since senior officials from Australia, India, Japan and the United States first convened on the sidelines of ASEAN-led summits five years ago. Early doubts about the Quad’s sustainability should surely now give way to firmer beliefs that the arrangement is set to be a persistent […]

The flying visit of a team of top Indian officials headed by Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Thursday, indicates New Delhi’s wish not only to be the “first responder” to any crisis in the neighborhood but also to be a “constant companion” to troubled neighbors engaged in rebuilding their economies. That the US is also anxious to help crisis-ridden Sri […]

With the Loya Jirga set to convene, the Kabul Polytechnic University announced on Sunday its closure until July 3. The closure was announced in a statement on the official page of the university, with the stump and signature of its chancellor. It said: “The day and night Master’s programme students and boarders are informed that to convene the Loya Jirga, […]

India has dispatched a new shipment of 3,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan through the Pakistani land route, says a media report. With the latest shipment, India has completed sending 33,500 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP). External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted: “India sent on Saturday the next shipment […]

China’s permanent representative to the United Nations has again asked the US to immediately return Afghanistan its foreign assets. Zhang Jun, addressing a UN Security Council session, lamented that no progress had been made in unfreezing Afghanistan’s reserves. “The Afghan people need every bit of these resources. That’s why it’s unjustified to freeze Afghanistan’s foreign assets,” the diplomat quoted as […]

India has reopened its embassy in Kabul following the arrival of a “technical team” in Afghanistan’s capital. The Indian embassy in Kabul was shut down almost 10 months ago in the wake of the Taliban’s quick takeover of Afghanistan. New Delhi said the team was sent to the Indian embassy to monitor the delivery of humanitarian assistance to needy Afghan […]